March 25, 2025
BC Crane Safety Newsletter
SPRING 2025
Crane Community of Practice Technical Advisory Committee: Fostering Collaboration and Improving Industry Practices
BC Crane Safety hosted Crane Community of Practice Technical Advisory Committee (CCOP-TAC) meetings this January and March, bringing together key stakeholders from across the crane industry, including representatives from BC Crane Safety, WorkSafeBC, SkilledTradesBC, Fulford Certification and various subject matter experts to foster collaboration and drive advancements in crane safety and training practices. This landmark gathering marks a significant step toward unifying the industry under shared goals of improving standards and ensuring the safety of crane operations across British Columbia.
Key highlights include:
- Establishing Rigging Training as a Prerequisite for Provisional Certification
All applicants for provisional crane operator certification must demonstrate proof of basic rigging theory training. This new requirement has been approved by the BC Crane Safety Board and, once implemented, will ensure that provisional operators begin their journey with a solid foundation in rigging safety practices.
- Focus on Industry Collaboration and Innovation
The CCOP-TAC aims to serve as a platform for sharing resources and addressing emerging industry challenges. Participants emphasized the importance of aligning efforts to support a safer, more competent workforce.
As the CCOP-TAC continues its work, future outcomes and recommendations will be shared with the broader industry. BC Crane Safety remains committed to promoting excellence in crane operations and looks forward to collaborating with all stakeholders to achieve this goal.
Stay tuned for updates in upcoming newsletters and visit our website for more resources.
New Training for Tower Crane Operators and Riggers to Support Industry Growth
BC Crane Safety is pleased to announce the availability of two critical training courses developed by a leading training organization, IUOE Local 115, to address industry needs for comprehensive and accessible crane operator education. These courses are designed to support employers and operators in building the necessary skills for safe and efficient tower crane operations.
Featured Courses
- Tower Crane Operator 2-Day Refresher Course
This course prepares participants to excel in the SkilledTradesBC Level 1, Level 2, and Red Seal exams. It covers vital topics such as rigging calculations, load chart analysis, and WorkSafeBC regulations, ensuring operators are confident and well-prepared for certification exams.
Key Highlights:
- Rigging and hardware identification.
- Load weight calculations and sling tension analysis.
- Practical exam tips and regulations review.
- Who Should Attend: Tower crane operators preparing for certification exams or those seeking a refresher on industry standards and practices.
- Tower Crane 2-Day Rigging Course
Rigging safety is fundamental to crane operations. This course offers hands-on training in rigging identification, load calculations, and best practices, aligning with WorkSafeBC regulations to enhance safety and efficiency on job sites.
Key Highlights:
- Practical rigging exercises, including pallet forks, concrete buckets, and DEP box connections.
- Understanding load center-of-gravity and sling capacities.
- Hands-on practice with tower crane hand signals and two-way communication.
- Who Should Attend: New and experienced riggers, tower crane operators, and employers looking to enhance workplace safety and rigging expertise.
For registration and additional information, visit the training provider’s website or contact IUOE Local 115 at 604-291-8831.
Employers are encouraged to explore available training and courses to ensure their workforce has the skills and knowledge to meet industry standards.
BC Crane Safety understands that stakeholders often face challenges finding employee training resources. While BC Crane Safety does not review or partner with specific training providers, for convenience, here are some of the available crane operator training providers:
- Bigfoot Crane Academy
- Fulford Certification
- Leavitt Cranes
- Matterhorn Crane and Rigging Training
- Walker Crane Group
If you are a crane operator training provider and would like to be included in future BC Crane Safety communications, please contact us for details at info@bccranesafety.ca.
Sponsoring Employers: Keeping Provisional Operator Records Up-to-Date
In addition to providing provisional operators with qualified and competent supervision at all times, employers must ensure that they keep and maintain records of all orientation and training.
As the SkillRecord Passport app becomes a mandatory tool for all provisional crane operators, we want to take a moment to highlight how employers can play a key role in ensuring smooth and efficient record-keeping.
A provisional (Level B) certificate is only valid while the provisional operator is working for the employer who signed the application and is named on the card. Once a provisional operator has a new employer, the provisional is no longer valid and the operator, with the new employer, must apply to change the employer.
When a provisional operator leaves your organization, follow these two important steps to help maintain the integrity of the certification process and support provisional operators in their career progression:
- Review and Endorse Outstanding Logbook Entries
Before the operator departs, we encourage you to review their logbook and endorse any outstanding entries. This ensures their training and competencies are properly documented, providing a clear record of their progress and achievements. - Notify BC Crane Safety to Archive Records
Please contact BC Crane Safety to archive the provisional operator’s certificate and remove the logbook reviewer’s access. This step helps maintain accurate records and ensures compliance with the terms and conditions of Provisional Certificates.
By taking these actions, you’re not only supporting the operator’s transition but also contributing to the overall efficiency and reliability of the registration system. You are also recording your valuable contribution to the operator’s professional training.
For more detailed guidance on managing provisional operator logbooks or assistance with this process, please reach out to BC Crane Safety directly. Together, we can ensure a seamless experience for everyone involved in the certification process.
The Right to Know About Hazards in the Workplace
All workers in B.C. have a right to know about hazards in the workplace and employers have the responsibility to communicate known or foreseeable hazards to their workers who may be exposed.
Some workers and employers think if they can see the hazards in front of them, they are informed and their job is done, but there is much more to the process than that.
Considering the high-risk designation of crane and hoisting operations, it’s important workers in close proximity, who may not be working directly with the crane crew, are also aware of the hazards associated with crane operations. Encourage all trades who may be affected by crane operations to review basics through resources such as the BC Crane Safety Toolbox Talks.
Below are some common examples of how to ensure employers are communicating hazards in the workplace and workers are retaining the information:
- Company onboarding orientations and site-specific orientations are useful for conveying large amounts of information at one time.
- Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) manuals are an in-depth way to advise employees of risks, instructions, education/training requirements, and procedures to support a good health and safety program, preparing employees for what they will encounter at work.
- Job Hazard Analyses, Safe Work Practices, and Safe Job Procedures outline in detail how to complete tasks safely. Ensure workers are involved in writing and editing these processes!
- Posting and discussing inspection results, including WorkSafeBC Inspection Reports (IRs), help to inform workers about what hazards may have been found and what the corrective action plan may be.
- Documented and appropriate training is critical for ensuring workers are aware of the hazards of the workplace and their tasks when working with or around hazardous materials or equipment. Some examples to include are Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) training, asbestos, ergonomics, equipment operation, rigging, fall protection, etc.
- Good supervision can go a long way in supporting workers’ right to know about hazards in the workplace. Having an experienced and qualified individual to oversee the day-to-day operations and provide their skills and experience to workers elevates operations and gives workers confidence.
For more information on roles, rights, and responsibilities in the crane industry, review our previous article on Refusing Unsafe Work in the BC Crane Safety Winter 2024 Newsletter and WorkSafeBC’s Refusing Unsafe Work resource page.
Crane Rigging Failure Prevention: Essential Safety Tips for Construction Sites
Crane rigging failures can lead to serious injuries and fatalities on construction sites. To help prevent these incidents, WorkSafeBC has released a bulletin outlining the hazards, responsibilities, and best practices for safe crane rigging. The bulletin covers key topics such as load design, lift planning, worker training, and proper inspection and use of slings and rigging equipment.
Learn how to reduce risks and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements by reading the full bulletin WorkSafeBC: Preventing Crane Rigging Failures.
Stay safe and informed—download the bulletin today and share it with your team!
Q&A
Question: How can we develop our training or assessment program so that crane operators comply with the requirements in B.C.? How can we evaluate the training programs or courses by external training providers?
Answer: Developing a training or assessment program for crane operators in British Columbia requires adherence to the standards set by BC Crane Safety and compliance with WorkSafeBC regulations. To ensure operators meet these requirements, consider the following steps:
- Align Training with BC Crane Safety Standards
- Structure your program around the competencies outlined in the BC Crane Operator Standards which detail the necessary knowledge and practical skills for various crane classifications.
- The standards distinguish between tasks requiring theoretical understanding (marked with a ‘K’) and those necessitating practical demonstration in a workplace setting (marked with a ‘W’). This distinction ensures comprehensive coverage of both theoretical and hands-on training aspects.
- Implement Robust Assessment and Verification Processes
- Require operators to successfully demonstrate each competency, both knowledge-based and practical skills, under the supervision of a qualified trainer or supervisor.
- Maintain detailed records of evaluations, including dates, competencies assessed, outcomes, and signatures of both the operator and the assessor. This documentation serves as proof of due diligence and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Consider External Training Providers
- Assess whether the training programs offered by external providers align with BC Crane Safety competency standards and adequately cover both theoretical knowledge and practical skills elements.
- Verify that instructors possess the necessary qualifications and competency.
- Ensure Compliance with Regulatory Requirements
- Familiarize yourself with the latest WorkSafeBC regulations related to crane operations, including OHS Regulation Part 14, Cranes and Hoists and Part 15, Rigging and any recent amendments to update your training program.
- Regularly update your training program to reflect changes in regulations, industry best practices, and technological advancements in crane operations.
Question: Many sponsoring employers want to confirm the period between the application to write a level exam and the invigilation schedule. Would SkilledTradesBC have the capacity to increase the frequency of invigilation access to better support apprentices and streamline the process where possible?
Answer: SkilledTradesBC confirmed that there are approximately 8-12 weeks between the application to write a level exam and the invigilation schedule. Most of this time would be waiting due to the candidate submitting a request for the next available exam date, usually about 1-2 months out.
The capacity at the location to write an exam in Surrey has gone up and now accommodates 96 candidates per session, so there may be some benefit to attempting to schedule an exam at the Surrey location if they were attempting to book it at another location that was full in the coming months.
The full schedule of exams, as well as capacity per session, is available online: SkilledTradesBC Exam Schedule.
You can also download a copy of the SkilledTradesBC 2025 Exam Schedule.
If you have any questions about scheduling an exam, don’t hesitate to contact the SkillTradesBC customer service team at 1-866-660-6011, and a representative can help identify appropriate location and date options.
